Broken Strings
by AngelHeartOfMine
Summary: How Hermione and Ron figure out that you can't play on broken strings. One-Shot. R&R!


Title: Broken Strings

Author: AngelHeartOfMine

Rating: K

Summary: How Hermione and Ron figure out that you can't play on broken strings.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, this song or the quotes I used. Broken Strings-James Morrinson & Nelly Frutado

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_Let me hold you  
For the last time  
It's the last chance to feel again  
But you broke me  
Now I can't feel anything _

It was late at night. The silver moon shone brightly and illuminated the dark street. A hooded man walked down the street and stopped in front of a small white house. The house looked lively and homey. A perfect home for a happy family. But the man knew the truth.

He walked to the door and opened it. The smell of a freshly baked apple pie greeted him.  
"Ronald? Is that you?" a female voice asked. She appeared out of nowhere and watched him take of the hood. Soft red hair fell into his blue eyes and he couldn't help but smile.  
"Cooking again, 'Mione?" he said, taking in her appearance. Her curly brown hair was pulled into a very messy ponytail and her apron was perfectly ironed. She gave him a forced smile and streched her hand to take his coat. He sighed. This was their routine. Every night he came home from work late. She'd be cooking and upon hearing him opening the door she'd appear in front of him and take his coat. He silently handed her the coat and walked towards the kitchen.

Dinner was eaten in silence and after that they watched a movie. He pulled her close, only to feel her tense in his arms. He desperately tried to feel something in his heart. It was beating. But not the way he wanted it to beat.

_When I love you,  
It's so untrue  
I can't even convince myself  
When I'm speaking,  
It's the voice of someone else  
_  
When he laid in bed he finally let the forbidden thoughts enter his mind. He felt the bed dip and a warm body lay down next to him.  
"Goodnight, Ron." she paused. He knew what was comming. "I love you." her voice cracked.  
"I love you too." he heard his own voice say mechanically. It sounded forgein but yet so familliar.

_Oh it tears me up  
I try to hold on, but it hurts too much  
I try to forgive,  
but it's not enough to make it all okay _

He wanted this so bad, he forced his heart to feel things that weren't real. He had to let it go. For himself, for her. For them.

_You can't play on broken strings  
You can't feel anything that your heart don't want to feel  
I can't tell you something that ain't real _

_Oh the truth hurts  
And lies worse  
How can I give any more  
When I love you a little less than before _

_Tomorrow_, he decided,_ tomorrow I´ll tell. I´ll free my heart_. He felt a weight lift of his shoulders. And for the first time in three years, Ron Weasley felt content. As the imaginary chains around his heart broke, he closed his eyes and fell into a dreamless slumber. Not knowing that next to him the brown haired witch was still trying to figure it out.

_Oh what are we doing  
We are turning into dust  
Playing house in the ruins of us _

_Running back through the fire  
When there's nothing left to say  
It's like chasing the very last train  
When it's too late, too late_

Hermione Granger was lost, utterly lost. For once in her life she could not find the answer in a book. No one could write about the matter of the hearts. It was just her and this damned heart. She knew what they were doing. They were keeping up the pretence. In hope they could convice theirselves. If Hermione was alone, she'd snort. _Pretension almost always overdoes the original, and hence exposes itself. _

She glanced at the alarm clock on the desk. 3:45. She siged deeply, knowing sleep wouldn't come so easily. It was something she got used to. And habits are very difficult to get rid of. Like a wise man once said; First we form habits, then they form us. Conquer your bad habits or they will conquer you. It described Hermione and Ron's relationship perfecty.

_Oh it tears me up  
I try to hold on, but it hurts too much  
I try to forgive,  
but it's not enough to make it all okay_

You can't play on broken strings  
You can't feel anything that your heart don't want to feel  
I can't tell something that ain't real 

Their realtionship had become a habit. A bad one, Hermione concluded. She needed to conquer it, before it conquered her. And with this last thought Hermione finnaly closed her heavy eyelids and sleep took over.

Well the truth hurts,  
And lies worse  
How can I give anymore  
When I love you a little less than before

But we're running through the fire  
When there's nothing left to save  
It's like chasing the very last train  
When we both know it's too late (too late)

The sun illuminated the quite white house. Hermione Granger nervously paced in her living room. _Inhale. Exhale. _She told herself. _Inhale. Ex-_

" Hermione?" Ron's quite voice rang through the room. Hermione spun around and froze. There he was, standing nervously a few feet away from her. His hands were in his pockets and he looked at her from under his eyelashes. _Oh bloody hell._ She couldn't do this.

She looked into his eyes. Staring back at her were his knowing eyes. Those eyes she had came to love. They travelled from her face to her clapsed hands and then to the two suitcases.

"Ron.." she tried. He shook his head. "I know." he said softly and Hermione broke down.

_You can't play on broken strings  
You can't feel anything that your heart don't want to feel  
I can't tell you something that ain't real _

_Oh truth hurts,  
And lies worse  
How can I give anymore  
When I love you a little less than before  
Oh when I love you a little less than before!  
_

Ron felt a tear made its way down his cheek. They had lost. He watched Hermione wipe away her tears and his heart broke a little more when she gave him a watery smile. He didn't know who moved first but somehow they had ended up in an embrace. He felt her small body sob in his arms and he he burried his nose in her hair.

_Let me hold you for the last time  
It's the last chance to feel again _

"Sssh , 'Mione. It's okay." he soothed her.

"No it's not!" she said. "It's over, Ron."

"Never be sad for what is over, just be glad that it was once yours. I am glad I had you in my life, Hermione. I don't regret anything and I wouldn't trade the time we had for anything in this world." he said wisely.

"When did you get so smart?" she joked. He gave her a grin.

She moved out of his embrace. "Well then, I guess this is goodbye."

She shrunk her suitcases with a wave of her wand.

When she walked past him he grabbed her arm gently.

"Goodbyes are not are not the end.  
They simply mean I'll miss you. Until we meet again."

He leaned down, tucked a strand of hair behind her ears and kissed her forehead.

"Until we meet again." Hermione repeated with a smile and with a final kiss on his cheek, she stepped away and Apparated. Leaving Ronal Bilius Weasley alone with his thoughts an empty house and a strange feeling of relief mixed with closure. _Everything was going to be okay._

_~The End~  
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A/N: I just had to write this! I know it really isn't that good but it has been in my head for quite some time and it took me a while before I finished it. Please let me know what you think. I'll be very grateful if you review!

I do not own the following quotes:

-Pretension almost always overdoes the original, and hence exposes itself.(Hosea Ballou)

-First we form habits, then they form us. Conquer your bad habits or they will conquer you.

-Never be sad for what is over, just be glad that it was once yours.

-Goodbyes are not are not the end.  
They simply mean I'll miss you. Until we meet again.

AngelHeartOfMine


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